Mud flaps have long been applied behind the wheels of vehicles to protect objects behind the vehicle from splashes of mud, water, and from rocks picked up from the road surface and thrown by the tires. Semi-truck trailers in particular are notorious for producing extensive water spray and rock damage to neighboring and following cars.
Mud flaps are typically mounted in a holder that is attached to the vehicle's chassis or some bracket or protective structure. In some designs (those typically used for passenger vehicles), the mud flap is bolted directly to the vehicle fender. Typically, no matter whether a passenger vehicle or a tractor-trailer, the flap is mounted to the holder by placing a fastener, such as a bolt, through a hole in the flap and securing the bolt to the holder. This design is simple, straightforward, and widely utilized. Other conventional designs for holding mud flaps include using U-shaped clamps, clips, and frictionally retaining the flap between a bracket and a plate compressed by fasteners such as bolts. Mud flaps with an increased top end diameter or thickness have been slid into and retained by elongate slots or gaps in holders.
In many designs, the flap is mounted so that it automatically releases itself from the holder if, for example, the flap is caught between the wheel and a stationary object, for example a loading dock or curb. With most mud flap holder designs, the flap is literally ripped out of the holder, typically at the point where the bolts are positioned or where the flap is held by the clamps or slot, thereby damaging the mud flap. Although the majority of the flap, once ripped from the holder, is reusable, usually either the holes in the flap must be repunched or the top edge of the flap must be recut, resulting in a shortening of the flap. Unfortunately, in some instances, and after many such mishaps, the flaps become completely torn and are no longer useable or salvageable. There have been several attempts to provide a mud flap holder that will release the flap when necessary without tearing or ripping the flap. However, none of these holders has been practical in the trucking industry.
Many communities have enacted laws and regulations requiring the use of mud flaps. In some locations these laws explicitly detail the size of the mud flap to be used, including the length and width. A semi-truck driver may end up switching the flaps on his rig several times on one trip depending on his route. Some conventional mud flap holders can be complicated and switching the flaps can be very time consuming and strenuous.
What is needed is a holder in which a flap can be quickly and easily replaced, without the need for special wrenches or other tools, which typically are not immediately assessable.